Illinois. Governor (1913-1917 : Dunne)

Edward F. Dunne (1853-1937), Democratic Governor of Illinois (1913-1917), was born on Oct. 12, 1853 at Waterville, Conn. His family moved to Peoria, Ill., where he was educated in the Peoria public schools before entering Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland. However Dunne, who was honor man in his Trinity class, was unable to graduate because his father's business reversals forced him to return to Peoria. Dunne worked for a year in his father's mill but he also read law before beginning a systematic legal course in Chicago (1876-1878). He was admitted to the bar (1878), practiced law in Chicago (1878-1893) and married Elizabeth J. Kelly on Aug. 16, 1881. Dunne filled a vacancy on the Circuit Court of Cook County (1892-1905) until he was elected Mayor of Chicago (1905-1907). After being elected Govenor in 1912, Dunne worked hard on legislation including the Deep Waterway Bill and the Woman's Suffrage Law. Dunne died in Chicago on May 24, 1937.